Chapter 94: Mastermind Shadows - I
He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the tension in his head, but it was no use.
The situation with Amar Singh was becoming more complicated by the hour. The evidence they had gathered felt like a puzzle with pieces that didn't fit.
One moment, everything pointed to Singh being deeply involved in the conspiracy; the next, it seemed like he might be a victim caught up in something bigger than himself.
Rohan couldn't shake the feeling that they were being led down a wrong path, but he couldn't tell for sure. Who was behind all this? And why?
Neeraj entered the room quietly, carrying another stack of papers. His usual calm demeanor was cracking, revealing the strain he was under.
He looked just as tired as Rohan felt. "Sir, we've got updates from Rao and Atma. They've been working hard with the interrogations, but it's slow going. These officials aren't giving up much."
Rohan looked up, his face showing the exhaustion of the past few days. "What about Amar Singh? Anything new?"
Neeraj shook his head, frustration clear in his voice. "Not much. He's been under surveillance, but so far, nothing concrete. He's meeting with people, but there's nothing that screams 'conspiracy.' It's frustrating, sir."
Rohan sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. He felt like he was trying to hold sand in his hands, only to watch it slip through his fingers.
"We're missing something, Neeraj. I can feel it. Every time we think we're close, something slips away. I don't know how much longer we can keep this up without a real breakthrough."
Neeraj sat down across from him, he hesitated, as if searching for the right words to say. "We'll get there, sir. We just have to keep pushing. Rao and Atma are doing everything they can. They've got one of the officials starting to crack. It's not much, but it's a start."
Rohan rubbed his temples again, trying to think clearly through the fog of exhaustion. Every decision he made seemed to come with huge risks, and he couldn't afford to make a mistake. "What did they get out of him?"
Neeraj took a breath before speaking, his voice cautious. "It's not a full confession, but he's starting to talk. He's mentioned a few names, people we haven't looked into yet. Rao's team is digging into it now. And there's something else he mentioned a location. A place where they used to meet."
Rohan's eyes narrowed as he considered the implications. A meeting place. That could be important.
It was something they hadn't accounted for before, and it could be a key to unraveling the mystery. "A meeting place? Where?"
"Somewhere outside the city," Neeraj replied, his tone careful. "A safe house, from what we can tell. It's not much, but it could be worth checking out. If this guy's telling the truth, we might find something there."
Rohan nodded slowly, weighing the risks and rewards. It felt like they were finally onto something tangible, but there was always the chance that it could all fall apart.
"Okay, try to gather as much information you can since we don't have an accurate address but I want us to be ready"
Neeraj stood up, his expression firm as he prepared to carry out the orders. "I'll get it organized."
As Neeraj left the room, Rohan turned his attention back to the reports spread out in front of him.
The conflicting evidence about Amar Singh frustrated him. It was as if someone was playing a game, using Singh as a pawn to throw them off the trail.
The thought made Rohan uneasy. If Singh was innocent, they were wasting precious time chasing the wrong lead.
But if he was guilty, they couldn't afford to let him slip away. The pressure was mounting, and Rohan knew they needed to make a move soon.
That night, sleeping was hard. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind thinking of possibilities.
The thought of the safe house haunted him. What if they were too late? What if the raid only led to more dead ends? The questions rose in his head, but no answers came.
In the early hours of the morning, as the first light began to creep through the curtains, Rohan finally gave up on sleep.
He got out of bed and went to his desk, turning on the small lamp and spreading out the reports once more.
The house was silent, the world outside still, but Rohan's mind was anything but still.
The silence pressed in on him, amplifying the sound of his own breathing, the rustle of paper, the creak of the chair as he leaned back. It felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, peering into the unknown.
He couldn't afford to fall.
By the time the sun was fully up, Rohan had made his decision. The raid on the safe house would go ahead, and they would do everything in their power to ensure it didn't fail.
He couldn't shake the feeling that this was their last, best chance to get ahead of the conspiracy that had been haunting them for so long.
Neeraj returned just after sunrise, ready to finalize the details. Rohan didn't need to ask if the team was prepared Neeraj's expression told him everything he needed to know. They were ready.
"We'll move in today, even if we don't have accurate location" Rohan said, his voice steady, betraying none of the anxiety gnawing at his insides. "Make sure everything is in place. And Neeraj"
"Yes, sir?"
"If this goes wrong… if it's another dead end… we can't afford to stop. No matter what."
Neeraj nodded, understanding the weight of what was unsaid. "We won't stop, sir. We'll see this through."
As Neeraj left to carry out the final preparations, Rohan remained at his desk, staring at the now-familiar documents scattered in front of him.
He knew the risks, but he also knew that doing nothing was no longer an option. The truth, whatever it was, was out there, waiting to be uncovered. And Rohan Varma was determined to find it.